I’m very excited about Asian cinema for their incredible love of psychology and reflection in their work. Strangers from Hell were no exception. Most likely, everything written below is only my interpretation of what I saw, but, like no other, this is my review. A lot of questions about the show. There is a lack of motivation in a bunch of characters, there is no specific disclosure in the whole “family” of psychopaths in principle. All we are given are fragments of their past, which we have to think of ourselves, as if we are not watching the series, but playing in Dark Souls. Some characters are needed by the plot...about nothing, like John-Woo’s friend from the army, who was simply leaked for no apparent reason. The police act out absolute idiots, and the psychopaths themselves, led by Dentist, behave excessively imposing and assertive at times.
Because of all this, you may feel that the series is mediocre, relying on pretentious headlines and good acting. But what if it's meant to be. With a dozen times in the picture flashes here and there the cult story of Franz Kafka - "Transformation". And if you arm yourself with the idea that it will not happen there, a more understandable picture is built. Strangers from Hell is absurd. Not classical, but, as it is now fashionable to say, postmodern. You can even be bolder and say that the series is a deconstruction of that very "Transformation". After all, John-Wu, like Gregor Zamza, is "schizatic in a family of similar schizoids." He does not understand why, does not understand why and how everything comes to this, but he cannot ignore the changes in himself. Moreover, John-Woo is constantly faced with such a phenomenon as Gaslighting, it is not for nothing that the term is put into the whole title of the series. Only if Zamza was “reworked” by his own family and entourage did John-Woo “rework” his environment. Yes, the ending may seem rather crumpled and indistinct, but perhaps it was intended. After all, the same Kafka structure and logic in the narrative is almost the last thing he paid attention to, because this is the essence! Yes, to compare in the forehead of Strangers from Hell with the work of Kafka is not quite correct, different fields of berries, but I want to isolate the key idea characteristic of both works - sometimes (and this is the case) circumstances and their logic are not so important as the hidden meaning, which seems to be the first "absurd".
Well, maybe I fantasized it all to myself and the show is just average, maybe I'm right, without a clue. I just want to believe it.
Failure of the film adaptation “How to get a neighbor” and redesign
Let me tell you right away: the main theme, which the others bought, I liked. Unfortunately, this idea was abandoned and decided to develop a stupid superficial plot. Everything in order.
Whether it’s a coincidence or not, people deserve attention. The viewer is tossed between the viewpoint of the observer and the object, the “beast” and the victim. The camera plunges into visions that make it difficult to recognize the truth and those who want to hide it. Minimalism in sound accompaniment adds peppers to the atmosphere and it makes an impression. Tellingly, the musical cooking is on the same level with the passions in the series - primitive and raw.
I want to note the acting and the optimal range of emotions. An interesting choice of gray area for 80% of scenes, against this background, underlines the destabilization. The actors believe that the abomination of fools and the gloss of successful to portray managed. Or the mystery of the misunderstood and the rotten arrogant? Yes, with the parallels of good and evil little played, do not sympathize with freaks from hell. Nevertheless, the naturalness and recognition of situations, coupled with the most twisted absurdity and awkwardness, allows the creators to play with expectations. A harmless hostess, a good boss, a reliable comrade. Everything is under suspicion.
Everyone recognizes people who discourage, disarm, disfigure. You worked a long time, but during the meeting you got a call. "I see you're not very interested," you hear. There's no promotion. You can't get away from the experts in the bar. They realized how useless your collection of bugs is. “Oh my God, how you lost weight – let’s go, I’ll feed you!” Exorbitant courtesy, unsolicited advice, ungrateful colleagues - these characters on the screen are seen for a long time and gracefully. I would watch this grotesque all 10 episodes, no dumb knives and dumb characters.
We are convinced that the main character is significant – a rather risky plot development scheme. First, the viewer understands that the hero will play his role in the story and waits for it, which is a spoiler in itself. This is present in many works with the “chosen ones”. Secondly, this importance must be upheld and reaffirmed. The central figure in this series, in turn, submits and is in prostration without help from above. Much can be justified if the canvas is defined, but in the series about it is out of the question. The strings are pulled by inept puppeteers in the person of the creators, so to fulfill the intended and especially to go beyond the characters is not destined.
The viewer taps his finger on his temple and nods understandingly, they say, the authors wrapped up the symbolism, well done. The problem is that the characters don’t express it. The main character does not grow, he obeys like a schmo, rings and breathes into the phone, as in a comedy parody. We are not allowed to make a picture – the authors decided not to bother. There is no basis for understanding the plot of this work. The atmosphere and the idea are high, but what is in the foreground?
Take for granted what is happening on the screen. No one reckons with logic and does not start from the current situation - there is no protest, just flow. Before us is a sluggish mass of fantasies of the authors, so that we deal with what they brewed. Chaotic sketches from the past and vague explanations of the characters themselves prove absolutely nothing. The foundation for the conflict has not been laid, so the scenario is cracking at the seams. Laughter and tears are also caused by the factual side: the characters are not responsible for their actions, the cause-and-effect relationship is broken. To be on the same wavelength, you have to look through your fingers. I perceive valid things, even if they are intangible: magic in the world of elves, robots in the world of science, divine matter, etc. Repetition of the real world and people except inconvenient moments - no. The forgery is obvious: people who behave magically in an ordinary world and now and then play the piano in the bushes. The series holds a carrot on a rope - for this nomination for "Golden cranberries."
Caricature is a feature of the series, but having achieved maximum concentration, it was worth stopping. The authors overdo it and the sharp corners are visible to the naked eye. Plywood figurines - assemble them yourself! The hero's favorite is a walking misunderstanding. In her mouth, the authors could put their words, common sense, but she is put as a scenery on the stage and this is the whole trick - a fox will hide behind her. Why does a girl love the main character? Why did he even choose her? I can't believe they're as close as they've been told. A whole scrap of screen time was contrasted with an infirm dentist with the face of a person who is trying not to give prank. Wild attempts to drink a beer with the main character are no less bizarre - crooked. This is not part of the idea of “Hell is others”, but just a Spanish shame, as if the dentist is so rolling.
Ambiguity reigns in these parts. You don’t know what to expect: Are the characters ordinary people or superheroes? It is impossible to empathize if the typical nerd turns out to be physically stronger than the boorish ambal, which the authors themselves deliberately endowed with power. Such a joke is only possible under certain circumstances. The writers of this work did not realize what secret they wanted to give the characters. You read the diary of the eight-year-old, in which he writes: "And this one, like, very cool ..." And lasers from the eyes! The authors’ results were deplorable. I don't think the captured identities have been revealed. They are just talking heads that are dressed differently.
Characters are so not fixed that they fly out of memory a little faster than they bother their creators. The speed of the narrative resembles passing talk shows, the elaboration of characters at the same level. The participants do not have time to squeeze out a tear from someone, as they are immediately spontaneously lowered from the platform into the abyss. In Strangers from Hell, they remain as phantoms, even more faceless and fluid than before. The series frantically refuses to respond to this. The point is to hand out crutches to cardboards and limp until the pop climax. The show should go on, in the attraction of delirium, no one owes anything, as a fee – common sense. The idea becomes stuffy and unbearable, everything in a vacuum, without background. You expect strong-willed decisions, the fracture of the lives of the heroes and study under the microscope, but the characters just slip on the banana peel.
The ending is so tortured, stupid and ragged that, even if the viewer knew it in advance, he would either forget it or give it no meaning. A performance from the theater of a young spectator, where actors were harassed with requests for fun, and the characters acted without any ideology. The series was stuffed with so many conventions and trump turns that in the end he had only to do it.
6 out of 10
You know, a lot of people here write that the philosophy is that hell wasn't really in the dormitory, it was inside the hero; that it was a choice to fight for you or not. But in fact, the main idea lies both in the title of the drama itself and in the last series. "Hell is other people" and "Gaslighting."
The point is not that the main character was both light and dark side, as in all of us (this is logical), but that by being among the people who make hell in your life (whether in a dormitory, at work or anywhere else), the psyche can specifically fly. An exaggerated image of psychopaths in the dorm, who, like an ancient Chinese torture, dripped on the hero’s brain until he went mad + colleagues at work (a seemingly harmless colleague who, because of jealousy and envy, disliked the hero, also at first glance, added fuel to the fire with harmless remarks). Rather, this series is a warning that people need to remain human and be kind to others. To me, it's as simple as that, without any SRSG. Of course, there is a depressing note with a warning not to trust people, which is partly true of our world, but I believe this is already in the background.
Overall, the drama is great, with great actors, with no less magnificent play, suspense, great atmosphere and is swallowed in one sitting, although it requires ten hours of your time.
9 out of 10
I advise you to watch, unless you are faint of heart.
On the level of the "Flower of evil" picture. Depreciated picture!
I will say right away – it is better to watch without reading reviews. There are more than 20 dramas behind me, but it is from this picture that I am, to put it mildly, shocked! I decided to watch this picture with a rating of 7.6 because of one of my favorite actors (Lee Dong-ok), only knew him as a fool-joke from past TV shows. It opened to me exactly as I would like to see this actor.
The story is simple, the guy comes to another city to work, where his girlfriend lives and works, money for normal housing is catastrophically lacking, chooses from lesser evils. It would be better not to choose.
A guy gets on a psychological game, about which he learns late, but can not do anything.
Most likely, all the crimes occurring in the picture, by the end, it is his work, but everyone will make a conclusion for himself.
Lee Dong played an amazing role and amazingly showed a man (who may or may not be) who perfectly manipulates.
The only thing I recommend is to watch.
For me, the picture is absolutely devalued, yes, there are TV series, being with this actor, where the assessment is divided into “excellent” and this picture is “well and so it will go.” No, it makes more sense, more action than in any other Korean series.
I will never stop saying that I am delighted!!
After watching (for a week working), I am still in some shock.
10 out of 10
I haven’t seen anything like this in a long time. Due to the lack of adrenaline, I decided to appreciate this piece, and it started, you know, it seemed promising. But from series to series, I waited and hoped that more characters would be revealed to me, and of course, the main character. As for me, for ten Hour episodes, (by the method of simple mathematics it is clear that there is a whole 10 hours) - there is a catastrophic lack of information about the character and his origin, of course I can think based on what was given, but I do not want! I want to be surprised, immersed, so that I believe in the character and not think of his role. They also almost blamed the residents of the hostel, you know, it’s a shame to admit, but I still don’t understand who these residents are, who this dentist is, why the main character strangled himself? Why would a dentist want to create a maniac like him? Why did he even choose him? Did he know him from somewhere? Why did they even decide to kill each other? And so on. The series has advantages, a good visual, good, and sometimes a great game of actors, good music, but still a mediocrely infused entanglement, as for me, could be wrapped much more interesting and richer, and so, this is just another Korean series with an inflated assessment.
5 out of 10
Let me warn you right away, the series is not easy and not easy at all. Under it it will not be possible to relax, unload the brain and abandon this world.
Quite the opposite. The music, the plot and the general atmosphere leave a rather depressing impression. But, starting to look, I want to learn more about what is “Hell” and what secrets are hidden in it.
The main character is a writer who came from the outback to a big city. He has very little money, and the guy is forced to settle in the God-forgotten hostel “Eden”, where strange dubious personalities live and residents disappear.
He comforts himself that it will not be long, but he can do nothing. Trying to endure and live a normal life.
The hero has a lot of problems: no money, but you need to help your family, living in a terrible place, stupid work with stupid people, and much more. And he would like to share his problems and experiences, but also those around him and his too much.
So the hero cooks in his own Hell without the possibility of finding a way out. He has to go through it all alone.
So did his girlfriend, as a policewoman trying to investigate the missing tenants. All the heroes are in Hell anyway. Everyone in his or her own way.
There are a lot of terrible unpleasant scenes, but, as it seems to me, this is done in order to immerse the audience deeper into the atmosphere and more vividly show the main idea.
There are only 12 episodes in the series and you can watch it quickly, but the meaning is much deeper. You can't understand it right away. We used to think that hell is a place where bad people go after death.
The same drama reveals another meaning: Hell is any place created by humans. It can be absolutely everywhere.
To be honest, I started watching it because of Lee Dong Wook, my favorite Korean actor. As always, he's done very well in his role, and let him play bad this time. No way! You don’t doubt it and you believe it.
Before watching, I read in reviews that not all people can master the series to the end. I watched, thought and go on with the unpleasant aftertaste of the thriller. But it should be. I think it's an indicator of quality.
The terrible and completely human fate of the protagonist is a consequence of the fact that hell was not outside, but inside him.
I recently met Drama Strangers from Hell 2019. I got acquainted with this drama completely by accident, I would even say spontaneously. A little bit about the story, but without spoilers. A guy from the province graduated from university and served in the army, comes to the capital in search of work, and also to have the opportunity to see his girlfriend more often. But due to a rather small budget, he settles in an inexpensive hostel with very suspicious neighbors. But this is not the most terrible thing that could happen to the main character, the most terrible is yet to come.
The series very competently and gradually introduces us to the main and secondary characters, not giving the whole picture of what is happening. Each character is unique and mysterious, you never know what is on their mind. The hostel itself, where the main characters live since the very first series, causes inhuman emotions. The dormitory is one of those places I would never want to visit, let alone live. At some point, the line between good and evil is blurred, as if it does not exist at all. Everyone has a choice, but not many are ready to make the right decision, the decision on which will ultimately depend on which side you choose: white or black?
In conclusion, I would like to note that the series was really very high-quality and from a script point of view well worked out. Of course, I would like to see a continuation as the end was really promising. The acting skills are also at a good level. All actors do a great job with their characters. They do it so naturally and realistically. Lee Dong Wook will surprise you. I recommend watching the series in the voiceover "Mobile TV". I want to recommend this drama to you because I really enjoy it and want as many people as possible to see it.
Commoners from Hell Nothing to watch. Lots of free time. I don't know where to go. So I sat for a couple of nights doing nothing, mentally abused myself, and went to the Movie Search to watch Strangers from Hell. Down with the voiceover, go with the subtitles. I comfort myself with the fact that such things are interesting to review separately from the position of after-knowledge. And you know what? I watched the drama for the first time, this time I laughed at all, it seems, not stopping. Right from the very appearance of "Eden" and up to the beginning of the tenth series (well, there are still many actions, denouement, all things). I mean, it's not that it's okay. Scary, but also funny. Paradoxical logic, with which it is difficult to disagree. And good not even the reflections of the main character, John W, they are good, but quite ... expected, directly derived from the plot (okay, except for one thing: about one normal person was very, very funny, doubly very, very funny, because I am exactly that, if I was distracted by my Chandlers, I would also be distracted). Good individual as if meaningless phrases guests, thrown in passing. They had a lot more food for the mind, and I laughed at them like I wasn't myself. “We just take out garbage for the hostess”, “You see an alien future, but you don’t?”, “You can’t go?” Crawl." In general, the worst thing is that this has its own philosophy, quite cozy and pleasant, in a certain sense. And you can really believe it. And it works. He creates his own separate reality in a single Eden. And it is not at all strange (but ridiculous) that after a week in Eden, John Woo would be willing to live in a dormitory where an old man hanged himself, if only cheaper. In "Eden" is cozy in its own way. That's great. Yeah, a lot of drama tricks, but a lot of movies. Flashbacks always seem appropriate, the dynamics of action is very high. Editing, of course, at times, clip, but not often. What a camera job. It is very interesting how they did with the walls on the set, there, apparently, everything was like a puzzle. Thank you for the action moment in the tenth series. A fight in the hallway... guys, I don’t know how much time and effort you spent on it, but I would give a lot to see it from the outside. You made a profit there, didn't you? I almost didn’t see the glues, and that’s how much... two or three minutes, and even with an axe... In short, it was an impressive episode. Yeah, all actors are cool. John Woo grew up so well in ten episodes, maybe a couple of episodes in the end was a little superfluous, but not the essence. In general, the image came out what you need: from a cute allegedly defenseless guy to a suspicious and dangerous subject. You don’t notice right away, but Room 313 is also a cool role: such a relentless, suffocating character, constantly nearby, a sense of filth is assured. And this is despite the fact that in Korea censorship and all they can do is show the bracelet on the leg and oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh on the screen. (It’s doubly cool to see the same actor in a different role, not a coat at all.) Room 306 is just a Stakhanovite. Twins are always a headache for actors; twins, where one is normal and the other with a developmental delay, are even harder. I can imagine how much he had to work when you consider how many Koreans work in one role. Poor guy, seriously. And after all, some kind of active image, you always need to laugh and twitch, it is very difficult. A sea of sympathy for him, both roles played perfectly. Om Bok Sun, of course, star, there's nothing to say. Such a clearly leadership character with commanding habits. All for the perfect distraction to yourself. It seems pleasant at first glance, but disgusting at the moment. And Room 304, or floor four, is the only normal person, so to speak. First, for the first time, I decided to be disappointed. Due to the lack of action in the murder in the second series. Calmly, methodically, there's no light in your eyes. But, you know, calm is a great thing. Especially when there's chaos and terror and you're calm and methodical. And medical gloves. It's a different kind of intimidation, yes. And, I must admit, I still liked Seo Moon Joe, somewhere around the nth murder. In general, the second time I began to look in a neutral-positive mood and, I must admit, no matter what you look, this role succeeded. And yes, a smile deserves a special mention, infernal. I’ve noticed that I’m afraid to review things that at first glance seem to like me. Not much. But “Hell is Others” seems even better. Really cool. Well done. Original
Almost the entire tenth and, thank God, the last series of Strangers from Hell, I looked at the acceleration of 1.5, because the stuffiness and triviality of the plot finished.
Ten episodes! So much can be done in that time! To reveal the characters, reveal the essence of the story, develop the main idea, show what and through what it leads. But there's none of that in the series. For ten episodes, the main character is barely revealed, and not to say that it is especially interesting to follow his disclosure.
In the dormitory, around which the plot is built, in addition to the main character, there are 5 more people who commit terrible murders, eat flesh and do other cute things. Why are they doing this? What's the goal? What unites them? How did they get into this dorm? Why do they need the main character? There's so much you can think of and discover! But none of this is... There are some hints that they were in the same shelter, but why they did what they did, why they attract new people, what motivation lies behind each individual character – this is not found in the series.
Apparently, sensing that there should be some justification for the activities of the characters, the writers decided at the end of the tenth series to answer the question “why?” I wish I hadn't answered... Answer: Patamu is the chilavec character. I'm serious. It’s just that a person wants to kill the abusers and watch them suffer, that’s why everything happens. The question of why, then, the world still has not plunged into the abyss of senseless stabbing, the writers, apparently, did not arise.
I fully admit that the absence of any cause and effect can increase the atmosphere of horror, as in the works of Junji Ito, where the question of causality is completely omitted. But Junji Ito has very little timekeeping in both the anime adaptation and the manga. Short stories that drag the reader into the abyss of surreal horror and spit back out into the world. Here you just do not have time to think about why, why and how. But this is not done in the format of a ten-hour series.
I still remember "Breaking Bad." Heroes always have motivation. They do what they have to do with iron necessity. They have a past that defines their present and a purpose that draws them into the future. The audience does not doubt the characters, they believe them. It's very hard to believe. Even take the only half-disclosed protagonist: we are shown flashbacks from service in the army with bullying from an officer, a couple of flashbacks from the tantalizing impoverished life in Busan, disgusting relationships with colleagues (why not give them verbal rebuff and not say that you can not do this? maybe, of course, the role is played by the Eastern corporate patriarchal culture, but you could develop the idea into the normality of defending yourself), disgusting relationships in the hostel, misunderstanding on the part of the girl about the fears of GG... And what comes out of all this for us? Only repressed anger, which is expressed in fantasies about how he would clean everyone’s faces, but in fact in the continuation of patience.
On this anger, one could go somewhere far, recalling again the experience of “Breaking Bad”, where Walter lived essentially on a mixture of pride, which mixed with the desire to leave money to the family and somehow realize himself in at least something, even if the latter was largely unconscious. But where did we go with the Strangers? In a stupid mess and kind of crazy protagonist, who, apparently, after leaving the hospital will go to cut everyone. Everyone is afraid!
A separate yearning is overtaken by attempts to scare. When disturbing music is turned on, an incomprehensible person comes out, the character reaches for a means of protection and... nothing bad happens, you just wanted to show the right box. Is there anything wrong with that in itself? Nope. But when it is used beyond measure (several times in a series, and then in another and in another), it becomes very boring. It's too predictable. I don’t know why you should do that at all. To show you that you can mount well? All right, thanks. . .
From the funny: when in the hands of the heroes are knives, hammers or other tools that you can throw someone, they blur. The knife hanging in the kitchen will not be washed away. Blood is a bit bleached too, well, when it's with the body and injuries.
As a result, watch 10 episodes for the attempts of the main character to go crazy, for the “cunning manipulations” of the Glavgad, for stupid cops who do not react to anything as they should, for the flat morality of “wee chilavek ento like the beast that we sing we will cut everyone”(9((((() - to look at all this ten episodes is very tiresome). It would be possible to fit all this and not lose anything in 5 episodes. Less water, more action, less time to think about why it was filmed.
I don’t know how authentic the series is to the original comic. Maybe it doesn’t have all the flaws I pointed out? I don't know. Maybe one day I’ll go through the comic if there’s nothing to do. I'll see if the book is better than the movie again.
Would I recommend watching this? Nope. You will not find anything interesting or deep here. And even there is nothing funny, the series does not work as an attraction.
5 out of 10
But purely because of the beautiful picture and more or less realistic fights, because in some other Korean TV series that I tried to watch, the fights are staged so stupid and unrealistic that it is impossible to watch.
Well, that's it. Until we meet again.
I started watching Strangers from Hell a few times. I could only do it on the third or fourth try. Oppressive stuffy atmosphere, black humor, sophisticated murder and madness of the main characters. Gentleman's horror kit. But it's not that simple.
The eerie world of a gloomy hostel is just a visible part of hell. Dull corridors, cramped rooms-coffins, where it is impossible to stretch out in full growth, bricks-windows under gray ceilings.
Guests are greeted by a “caring” hostess, who cares about everything, who will pull the whole soul out of you, drink narcotic teas, just to lure into the sinister networks of the hostel. She is helped by colorful tenants - criminals and mentally unhealthy people. They create an atmospheric “inferno”, frighten, torture, kill guests. The charming dentist Seo Moon-jo runs everything in this place. He knows how to attract people, has a bright charisma. It’s no wonder Moon-Jo is so easy to get along with new resident John-Woo. A young man came to Seoul in search of a better life, but an old friend called him to work. I wish he hadn't done that.
To live in a big city, you need to have a strong psychological shell and have a very sober view of things. John is not lucky to have these qualities. He would have bypassed the ill-fated hostel at the very beginning, maybe he would have been a different person. That's why his suitcase falls off the wheel. But the guy doesn't pay attention to this sign.
Hell for a young man becomes not only the hostel, but the whole surrounding reality. He can't get along with his colleagues, although he can find another job. Can't hold her beloved girl - too busy analyzing himself and the residents of the hostel. Unable to cope with his emotions and gets into a fight. Can’t finally find a new home – too tight financially. In addition, he has a fine soul of a writer and does not tolerate injustice.
The psyche of a young man literally crumbles under the weight of subsequent tests. Crushed by problems in communication and difficulties in adapting to a new home, he easily succumbs to the influence of a compassionate maniac dentist. Moon-Jo pieced together the shattered personality of John-Woo and gradually turned him into a killer.
With the arguments of a confident dentist can not argue. Seemingly the right thing to say is, “It’s better to say what you want and do what you want rather than keep it to yourself.” But John Woo is too busy wrestling with his inner demons and the people around him to understand the real meaning of the phrase. Besides, he can't resist Moon-Jo's sinister charm. His tenacious, penetrating into the depths of his soul look, calm and unperturbed voice, the ability to find the key to any mood – all this is very captivating. And the brain refuses to think soberly.
Hell is not a dormitory, not people around. Hell is within us. Everyone decides which side to take, how to fill their soul. If you do not act, go on about fears, the dark sides of your personality, of course, hell will win. This idea is subordinated to the entire plot of the series. Even the police here are part of this hell. She is doing nothing to investigate the murders and destroy this terrible place. Except for one young employee who hasn't been sucked in by the hellish swamp yet. She's trying her best. Over time, she even manages to stir up this unmoved pile. But there is no happy ending.
Moon-- Joe says, "There are too many like me in this world." For every desperate person there is a hellish manipulator, that’s how the world works. The choice is yours. Would you rather give up or fight?
This is not just a psychological horror, from this thriller goosebumps go around and flirt with each other. That's the feeling.
The story begins with a description of the difficult, but quite ordinary, if not ordinary, psychological situation in which the protagonist is: he is only 27, and he is devastated and exhausted. He lives in the provinces, tired of poverty, the burden of unbearable problems in the form of a mother harassing herself with work in the market and a feeble-minded brother.
He thinks his life is hell. That's why he's going to Seoul. He goes not just to nowhere, but to hyun, so to speak, to work. And there’s one thing that maybe sets him apart: he has a dream — he’s writing a detective story — and he probably hopes that one day he’ll be a writer.
Arriving in Seoul, he, of course, chooses the cheapest housing on the outskirts - a battered koshivon, goes to work, sometimes meets with a girl, writes his detective in his spare time. Well, it's okay, except the residents of Koshivon are all like one with strange things. On the other hand, who doesn’t have them?
Gradually, events begin to develop as if in parallel directions, and three hells unfold before the viewer: 2 external and 1 internal. And the existence of a hero in these hells. As the main directions develop, there is research on artificially created hells: how you create it yourself, and how others create it. A lot of thrash and sura. Quite a lot. But after a while, you realize that it is painfully realistic sur turns out, it is both scary and painful. Very painful and very scary.
Shot, in my opinion, incredibly beautiful, surrealism and all this oppressive atmosphere of hopelessness, horror, anxiety and powerlessness involves some cunning receptors so that these sensations suddenly become not the feelings of the main character, but yours. And you suddenly think, why are you hurting, why are you scared of your own thought, just looking at the hero, and actually, how exactly are you afraid?
Of course, we can say that all this has already been used hundreds of times, but not everyone is an innovator, and when a good technique is used coolly and on time, it only amazes me. For example, I liked that sometimes people's problems and vices are shown only flashbacks or strokes: behind the sluggish thoughts and rash behavior of a girl patrol, behind the stupid actions of detectives who somehow do their job, more is hidden than behind their phrases. You expect some kind of trick, but no, just ordinary people, in an ordinary hell they don't even know about. Thoughts-monologues and thoughts-plans of the protagonist give a separate pleasure. There are a lot of all sorts of cute obvious allusions, they are all on the surface, like the use and transfer of Kafka’s book “Transformation” and, in fact, the title of the film. But especially cool I thought that the role of the local Mephistopheles director took one of the most pleasant actors, known for his good nature and roles of exceptionally positive characters, Lee Dong Wook. From his phrases “Laponka, how to kill you?” or “Lapula, how do you kill?” at the same time the heart trembled, it was creepy, and funny, and the smile of his hero.
I would like to write separately about the final. I'd argue with the final. But I'm a pretty specific person, prone to border states, for me, fighting is fighting, and I'm also a fighter, although a coward. And the protagonist is a fighter. So I don't agree that it had to end this way.
I categorically do not recommend the series to those who are in an unstable emotional state or prone to depression, because, in my opinion, if you look and think, the effect of the film on the psyche is very strong. For others, this film is a reason to reflect on their own hell.
10 out of 10
The young writer undertook to write a novel, but the work on the book is not going well. The guy irritates everything around: neighbors in the dormitory, colleagues at work, an old friend and new acquaintances; he is infuriated by his own poverty, the arrogance of others; he is crushed by fear and stifles anger, but he keeps it within himself, not letting everything escape out, which is noted by an arrogant neighbor who has taken to rid the young man of unnecessary complexes.
In fact, this is a film about the struggle with himself, with the duality of any nature, as evidenced by the constant nightmares of Yoon John-wu, from night dreams becoming a day reality, revealing the dark side of his nature, which is personified by the main villain, giving advice to the author of prose, making him a character of his own story.
From the point of view of composition, this is an excellent thriller with an anticipation of a breakdown hanging in the air, through which, one way or another, the main character must pass, who is in a state of permanent stress caused by personal and official relationships, stress that is experienced by millions of people who play their unenviable roles, growing into masks of lies and falsehoods, which here become the second hypostasis of a writer who stuffs personal experience on a clean canvas of electronic pages.
It takes patience to follow Yoon Jong-wu’s skirmishes, outbursts of anger, seemingly even against his own will: the writers repeatedly repeat the same trick, passing one for another or one for another, periodically hinting at the substitution or fusion of faces.
Shi-wan frighteningly convincingly represents the shattered psyche of the protagonist, vividly opposing Lee Dong-uk, whose demonic character leads him with his hand, inspiring the artist with freedom of violence.
The social aspect may not be obvious, but it is quite tangible: in the office of a prestigious office of the world, no more than the corridors of a musty dormitory - nice people gnaw at each other more than the inhabitants of the bottom, cheerfully hunting their neighbors, everyone's task is to survive.
It only takes 10 hours to watch this series. It takes a lot of time to think about it.
The creators of the series tell a rather complicated story that Hell can be not only a place where sinners go after death, but also any place created by people around them. Hell can appear at work, at school, in a hostel and even in your own home.
Excellent acting of the actors completely immerses the viewer in the terrible world in which the main character is located.
I am a fan of Lee Dong Wook, he did a good job in his role, but Im Shi Wang struck me especially in this series. I don’t know if I’m the only one who has a sense of belonging to everything that happens to his character Yoon John Woo. But I think his problems are close to other people.
John Wu is constantly short of money, but you need to help your family. He wants to share his experiences with others, but others have their own problems. He cannot find a way out, and he just has to go through everything alone.
Someone claims that only people with a stable psyche can watch this series. This series is a thriller and really contains many scary and unpleasant scenes.
At first, I didn’t understand why the scenes in this series had to be terrifying and disgusting. Now I think that the creators of the series wanted to draw attention to the main idea of the series as vividly as possible.
Here Hell is to some extent exaggerated world, which got the main character. But do not forget that any of us can end up in an artificially created Hell by others.
9 out of 10